A website from the Massachusetts Historical Society; founded 1791.

Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 4

157
Patrick Copeland to John Winthrop1
Copeland, Patrick JW

1639-12-04

To the worthy and worshipfull Mr. John Winthop Gouernour of Boston in new England deliver this

Grace and peace from the rich fountaine of both.

Worthy and worshipfull Sir,

I perceive by yours your remembrance of vs in sending 12 New-England Indians to vs, which were left at Providence; if they had safely arrived here, I wold haue had a care of them to haue disposed them to such honest men as should have trained them vp in the principles of Religion; and so when they had been fit for your Plantation, haue returned them againe to haue done God some service in being Instruments to doe some good vpon their Country men: The Dutch in Amboino in the East-Indies haue gayned many to God and his Truth after this manner. Their Preacher Danker and Scholemaisters (when I was in those parts in the East India Companies service) learned first the Molaya tongue (the current language of India, as the Latine tongue is of Europe) and their Preacher bestowed halfe of his labors vpon the Indians (who were conquered by the Dutch) and the other halfe vpon the Dutch: Their scholemaisters likewise taught the Indians the Dutch tongue; and they taught the Dutch children (whereof there were then, and still are yeerely sent from the Low-Countries some hundreds) the Molaya tongue, both Dutch and Indians being brought vp in the same schole together: and having thus taught them to read and vnderstand the Dutch character, their Preachers penned the grounds of Christianity in the Molaya tongue and dutch letter which they sent to Holland to be imprinted there, and transported to the Molacca Islands; so that by these meanes many thousands of them are converted to the Christian faith: This practise the Dutch learned of the Jesuits whose practise it was to get the children of great personages to tutor them, and teaching them the Latin Roman letter they penned the grounds of Popery in the Goyriah, Molaya, Japan and other languages, but in the Roman letter, and having their printers in Goa, Nangesack and other Cities vpon the Continent of Asia, and the Isles of Java and Japan they caused those Catechismes of Popery to be imprinted there, wherewith they poysoned thousands, and so in a manner became Maisters of the sweetest places of the Continent of Asia, and Japan, as I observed by my travels in those places: so that being my selfe in Nangasack, a famous City of Japan, I saw with my owne eyes the monu­158ments of many faire Churches and an vniversity which sometimes they had there, but by their pragmaticall intermedling with state-matters were banished from Japan by Augusheshama the then Emperour, being informed by our Countryman Capt. Adams (who made Shipwrack on Japan, and there lived many yeers at the Emperours Court) of their treacherous practises in Christendome: so that their Churches and vniversity which they had in Nangesack were ruined at the Emperours Command, but that whole City to this day speaketh the Spanish and Portugal tongues, and are all seasoned with Popery: there I had of Capt. Cox, our Cape-merchant a Popish Catechisme imprinted in Nangesack in the Italian letter, and Japan tongue, which Catechisme I have now in my study. With the practise of the Jesuits in perverting, and of the Dutch in converting Indians I acquainted the Earle of Southampton Governour of the Virginia Company, Sir Edwin Sandys and the Council of Virginia, who liked well of it, and gave order to Sir Francis Wyat their then Governour in Virginia to follow this practise, but in a better manner. Thus briefely I thought good to acquaint you with this practise of the Jesuits and Dutch in the eastern parts of the world, which if it be followed by your Preachers and Scholemaisters, through Gods blessing vpon their labours I doubt not many of your heathens may be gayned to the Christian faith. I would to God that his worke did thrive so well with vs as you write it doth with you: wee haue within these two yeeres many that seeke to vndermine vs, and to ruine the good that wee have endeavoured to doe here, as Mr. Cotton will acquaint you, to whome I have written somewhat more at large of this matter.

I have sent you a small Poesie2 of one of our Preachers, whom the Lord hath taken to himselfe: hee hath left behinde him a hopefull sonne of his owne name who is reasonable well entred in the Latine tongue. if there be any good Schole and Scholemaister with you, I could wish with all my heart that hee might have his education rather with you, then in old England,3 where our Company there have by their letters this yeere to our Governour Capt. Thomas Chaddock (who desires the continuance of your love) promised after a yeere or two to take charge of his education with them: hee is a fatherlesse childe and of good expectation, if God sanctifie his spirit.

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If you send vs any more of your Captive Indians, I will see them disposed of here to honest men; or if you send mee a couple a boy and a girle for my selfe, I will pay for their passage, so they be hopefull.

Thus in some haste, our London ship being neere ready to set sayle, and I having many of my friends to visite by letters, I commit you to the blessing of the Almighty, and blesse God for raysing you from the gates of Death to doe him some further service. Yours in the Lord

Pat. Copeland Pagets-Tribe this 4th of Decemb. 1639

Endorsed by Governor Winthrop: Mr. Copeland. Received per Mr. Babb (5) 7 40. Resp. per Allegiance.

1.

W. 4. 97; 5 Collections , I. 277–280. For Copeland, see Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, XIII. 16, et passim.

2.

George Stirk, Musa Somerenses (London, 1635), Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, XIII. 56.

3.

George Stirk (or Starkey), son of the Reverend George Stirk of Bermuda, came to Harvard College and graduated in the Class of 1646. For his later career, see John L. Sibley, Biographical Sketches of Graduates of Harvard University, I (Cambridge, 1873), 131–137, and the references to him in two articles by George L. Kittredge: “George Stirk, Minister,” Publications of the Colonial Society of Massachusetts, XIII. 16–59; “Dr. Robert Child the Remonstrant,” ibid., XXI. 1–146.